A new proposal for the discrimination of ophiolitic chromitites based on minor and trace elements: an study by la-icpms

Abstract

Chrome Spinel chemical composition [(Mg,Fe)(Cr,Al,Fe3+)2O4], is usually used as indication of ophiolitic chromite deposits parental magmatic signature and tectonic environment of generation. In highly metamorphosed and/or hydrothermally altered (e.g. lisvenites) ophiolitic complexes frequently primary igneous silicate minerals are completely transformed to secondary minerals. To present elements that give better information and are used as tectonic discriminant elements in Chrome Spinels are Cr, Al, Fe3+ and Ti. In this study we present LA-ICPMS results of minor and trace elements distribution (Ga, Sc, V, Co, Ni, Zn, Mn, Ti, Zr, Nb), in representative samples of the three different compositional and tectonic setting types of chromitites hosted in the ophioloitic complexes from Mayarí, Cuba oriental; Moa-Baracoa in Eastern Cuba and Loma Perguera in Dominican Republic and we discusse the use of trace elements as discrimant for the different tectonic settings of ophiolites.